January 2012 Volume 15 Number 1 - Educational Technology ...

As seen in table 2, the results of the questionnaire indicated that although prospective EFL teachers in distance
higher education viewed ICT as a tool to help them to learn many new things (scoring 4,07 on item 3 in the
questionnaire), most of these prospective EFL teachers (a) disliked using ICT (item 1, M=3,40; SD=0,49), (b)
viewed using ICT in class as time-wasting (item 2, M=2,14; SD=0.35), intimidating or threatening them (item 4,
M=1,89; SD=0.61), (c) felt uncomfortable when working with ICT in class (item 5, M=2,84; SD=0,74), (d) were
unwilling to learn more about employing ICT in class (item 6, M=3,57; SD=0,77), (e) disregarded the power of ICT
as a device to develop their teaching practice (item 7, M=3,57; SD=0.77), (f) considered modifying the curriculum to
integrate ICT as a difficult task (item 8, M=2,52; SD=0,50) and (g) stated that ICT would break down too often to be
of very much use (item 9, M=2,52; SD=0,50). That is, they generally displayed negative attitudes towards ICT
integration by scoring lower than 4 on most of the items on the five point scale.
Interviews
Factors obstructing positive perceptions toward ICT integration
In response to the first question regarding the factors impeding their positive perceptions of ICT use in the language
learning or teaching process, the participants expressed mainly three obstacles which were (1) the lack of exposure to
lessons fully designed with ICT tools, (2) an exam-driven system and (3) studying to learn only what is to be tested.
The following selected quotations (presented verbatim) are representative of the views expressed:
“I have never seen a lesson fully designed with ICT tools, so how can I conduct an ICT integrated lesson for my
students?” (Participant 21)
“In an exam-based system, it is very difficult to learn something practical. I really wish to teach my students an
Internet-based lesson but how ?” (Participant 3)
“I learn what I am required to learn. If I am required to learn about ICT, I will study it as it is tested in the exams.”
(Participant 9)
Learning ICT use at a distance: a disadvantage?
The participants were asked whether or not they thought that learning ICT use at a distance was a disadvantage. The
majority of them stated that learning ICT use at a distance was a disadvantage for them due to the lack of
opportunities to try ICT use, the need to do practice in a technology laboratory, and the lack of educational
technology teachers. The following quotations illustrate prospective EFL teachers’ views on learning ICT use at a
distance:
“We are not as lucky as our peers in formal education because we have no opportunities to try ICT use.”
(Participant 9)
“Learning ICT use at a distance is not easy for us. We need to practice in a technology laboratory in a face-to-face
classroom setting to better understand how to use ICT in a language classroom.” (Participant 17)
“Learning ICT use at a distance is problem-causing for us because we have no educational technology teachers who
can show us practically how to make use of ICT in a real classroom environment” (Participant 13)
Suggestions to better learn how to integrate ICT
In response to the third question related to suggestions to better learn how to integrate ICT, participants stressed the
prominence of (a) training specific to methodologies and practices of ICT integration, (b) ICT-integrated sample
lessons conducted in face-to-face classroom environments by educational technology specialists and (c) providing
computer laboratories in central cities of our country to increase prospective EFL teachers’ self- efficacy and
decrease their anxiety about using ICT. From the interviews with the participating prospective EFL teachers, some of
the suggestions made are:
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